How exactly would we go about saying no? Maybe we should have all just walk off the job to make a point. I can see you have no idea about the experience level of RP pilots. Lots of guys were hired at RP with too many hours to care about flying a jet. I will be the first to admit this deal is not right! Hopefully we can get some kind of LOA to get this MKE flying to YX crews, before the SLI is completed. As I’ve said before, no RP furloughs should come back, while YZ pilots are being furloughed. Personally I plan to stay on MIL leave as long as possible.

 

Hi guys, I'm not by any means a pilot, but a longtime fan and previous Midwest customer.
I see a lot of validity to every point you all argue, but I think there needs to be an enhanced presence from the passengers to make things happen. I'm including the text of an email I just sent to RAH's customer service email address listed on their website. I know that their people will probably ignore this or send a bull**** reply, but I think we need more activism overall to help protect the dignity of the piloting profession, as well as that of the F/A's etc.
Here's the message I sent:

To whom it may concern:
I would like to congratulate all of you on your success of saving the future of Midwest Airlines. Although Midwest is a little-known niche airline in the overall industry, ownership of this airline carries some big responsibility. Midwest customers are not the traditional low-budget citizens of the "United States of Amnesia" who will willingly fly any route at the lowest price possible on whatever regional aircraft and seating arrangement happens to be available with underpaid, underqualified, and underslept flight crews happen to be available just because some freshly baked cookies happen to be available instead of peanuts or pretzels. If we wanted that, we'd fly Southwest and mobilize Grandma in advance for half the price. Midwest's business plan was based on a loyal customer base that was willing to pay more for the services they preferred. Many of these customers have deep sentiments about the beginnings of the airline with the Kimberly Clark Corporation, providing the Best Care in the Air.
I understand that you may feel that there are financial and business reasons to get rid of the widely known Midwest aircraft, flight crews, and seating arrangements. If you are truly going to go through with that, then you might as well put your cards on the table and declare the entire Midwest Airlines name and trademark dead and gone. Anything else is just putting lipstick on a pig.
As a former Midwest customer, I will miss the service and quality of experience that I received while flying with Midwest. For a premium of about 30% over comparable coach arrangements, I was able to consistently experience a first class flight with first-class accommodations.
As much as I will miss flying with the former Midwest Airlines, please do not expect me or people like me to be dumb enough to hang on to the brand out of nostalgia. Unless the aircraft, flight crews, and seating arrangements are brought back, consider the brand dead.
Thank you for your time and consideration.

Now I know some of you who are reading this are current RAH pilots and may be deeply offended, but rather than giving me a nasty reply, lets see you suck it up and fight your management to let the MEH pilots into your seniority list with wages that are at least within range of what they previously received. If not, then lobby really hard to eliminate everything that says "Midwest" on every plane, in every terminal, and on every piece of marketing. There is little room for middle ground on this.
I apologize in advance for my tone, and thank you for your time.

 

From someone who was furloughed from Midwest Airlines after 14 years of service, I would just like to say Thank You, I believe we had the best customers of any airline. I appreciate your years of loyalty. Thanks also for noticing the difference.

 

'

Great a jump seat war. Who do you fly for?

I'd imagine the pilots you work with that rely on getting to work on a RAH owned aircraft will love your brilliant idea on how to change an industry.

You were probrbaly the same guy that said he'd never fly one of those little 50 seat airplanes when they were offered to Mainline carriers 20 years ago. Another great decision then on your part.

Frankly they are adding up, maybe it wouldn't be safe to jump seat on your aircraft.

 

What steps have been taken to that effect?

 

I can appreciate your sense of loyalty but please explain how the flight crews are under qualified. You've insulted an entire group of people including the mighty SouthWest pilots, I'd like to know of your vast knowledge gained in that 1st class seat how you can say they my pilot group is any less qualified or professional than another? Search the web, you will not find one fatal accident by a RAH crew in its 26 years as an air carrier. (you'll need to search Chautauqua to back that far.) You'll find one incident that led to a damaged airplane with no injuries in CLE.

 

Nothing like attacking your PAYING passengers for their opinions.
As far as being underqualified, I was hired at Midwest in 97 when their total time requirements were 5000 hours total time, don't remember the rest, but these are the requirements your company had;

ATP Flight School: Republic Airways Airline Pilot Hiring Partnership


Do you really want to debate that?

 

250 hours total time and the ability to fog a mirror do not engender a highly experienced pilot. I know we've all been there, but that level of "experience" has no business in a 121 cockpit. And yes, I'm old enough to refer to it as a cockpit, not a friggen flightdeck.

 

This is exactly what the Eastern replacement pilots said.

 

Which is why I will not let my family fly on any Republic flight.